Servilius' African Expedition and Fabius' Title — Livy, History of Rome Book 22 (22.31.1–22.31.11), Latin & English

§22.31.1

dum haec geruntur in Italia, Cn. Servilius Geminus consul cum classe centum viginti navium circumvectus Sardiniae et Corsicae oram et obsidibus utrimque acceptis in Africam transmisit et, priusquam in continentem escensiones faceret, Menige insula vastata et ab incolentibus Cercinam, ne et ipsorum ureretur diripereturque ager, decem talentis argenti acceptis¹ ad litora Africae accessit copiasque exposuit.

While these things were being done in Italy, Gnaeus Servilius Geminus, the consul, having sailed around the coast of Sardinia and Corsica with a fleet of one hundred and twenty ships, and having received hostages from both sides, crossed over to Africa, and before making landings on the continent, having devastated the island of Meninx, and having accepted ten talents of silver from the inhabitants of Cercina lest their own land too should be burned and plundered, he approached the shores of Africa and landed his troops.

§22.31.3

inde ad populandum agrum ducti milites navalesque socii iuxta effusi, ac si in insulis cultorum egentibus praedarentur.

Thence, the soldiers, led to plunder the territory, and the naval allies scattered around in like manner, marched as if they were plundering in islands destitute of inhabitants.

§22.31.4

itaque in insidias temere inlati cum a frequentibus palantes, ab locorum gnaris ignari² circumvenirentur, cum multa caede ac foeda fuga retro ad naves conpulsi sunt.

Therefore, having rushed blindly into an ambush, while they, straggling, were surrounded by the enemy in compact bodies, and being ignorant of the country, by those who knew it, they were driven back to their ships with great slaughter and a shameful flight.

§22.31.5

ad mille hominum cum Ti. Sempronio Blaeso quaestore amissum. classis ab litoribus hostium plenis trepide soluta in Siciliam cursum tenuit, traditaque Lilybaei T. Otacilio praetori, ut ab legato eius P. Cincio Romam reduceretur.

About a thousand men, including Tiberius Sempronius Blaesus the quaestor, were lost. The fleet, hastily set sail from the shores full of enemies, held its course to Sicily, and was handed over at Lilybaeum to Titus Otacilius the praetor, in order that it might be brought back to Rome by his legate, Publius Cincius.

§22.31.7

ipse per Siciliam pedibus profectus freto in Italiam traiecit, litteris Q. Fabii accitus et ipse et collega eius M. Atilius, ut exercitus ab se exacto iam prope semestri imperio acciperent.

He himself, having set out on foot through Sicily, crossed the strait into Italy, summoned by a letter from Quintus Fabius, both he himself and his colleague Marcus Atilius, in order that they might receive the armies from him, his six-month command having now nearly expired.

§22.31.8

Omnium prope annales Fabium dictatorem adversus Hannibalem rem gessisse tradunt; Coelius etiam eum primum a populo creatum dictatorem scribit.

Almost all annals record that Fabius, as dictator, conducted the campaign against Hannibal; Coelius even writes that he was the first dictator created by the people.

§22.31.9

sed et Coelium et ceteros fugit³ uni consuli Cn. Servilio, qui tum procul in Gallia provincia aberat, ius fuisse dicendi dictatoris;

But it escaped both Coelius and the others that the right of naming a dictator belonged solely to the consul Gnaeus Servilius, who was then far away in the province of Gaul;

§22.31.10

quam moram quia expectare territa tertia iam clade civitas non poterat, eo decursum esse,⁴ ut a populo crearetur, qui pro dictatore esset;

and because the state, terrified by what was now a third disaster, could not brook this delay, recourse was had to this expedient, that one should be created by the people who should act in the place of a dictator;

§22.31.11

res inde gestas gloriamque insignem ducis et augentis titulum imaginis posteros,⁵ ut, qui pro dictatore creatus erat, fuisse dictator crederetur, facile obtinuisse.

that the subsequent achievements, the distinguished glory of the commander, and his descendants, who magnified the inscription of his bust, easily established the belief that he who had been created acting dictator was believed to have been actual dictator.

Syntax notes5 items

22.31.2ab incolentibus Cercinam ... decem talentis argenti acceptis
The phrase "ab incolentibus Cercinam" (from the inhabitants of Cercina) with the preposition "ab" indicates the source of the action in the ablative absolute "decem talentis argenti acceptis" (ten talents of silver having been received), meaning "received from...".
22.31.4a frequentibus palantes, ab locorum gnaris ignari
A highly antithetical structure where both phrases depend on the passive verb "circumvenirentur". "a frequentibus" (by the enemy in dense groups) corresponds to the participle "palantes" (those straggling), and "ab locorum gnaris" (by those familiar with the places) corresponds to "ignari" (the ignorant ones), indicating the agents of the action.
22.31.9sed et Coelium et ceteros fugit
The verb "fugit" here means "escaped the notice of" and takes the accusative "et Coelium et ceteros" as its object. The subject of "fugit" is the following accusative-with-infinitive clause ("uni consuli ... ius fuisse dicendi dictatoris").
22.31.10eo decursum esse
An impersonal passive infinitive construction used in indirect speech. Literally "it was run thither," meaning "recourse was had to this expedient" or "they resorted to this measure."
22.31.11augentis titulum imaginis posteros
"augentis" is the accusative plural of the present participle (equivalent to classical "augentes"), modifying "posteros" (descendants). "imaginis" is the genitive singular referring to the ancestral bust or portrait, depending on "titulum" (inscription). Thus, "descendants magnifying the inscription of his bust," which acts as part of the subject of the infinitive "obtinuisse".

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (2, latest 2026-09-22)

2026-09-22 AI review — source 1
2026-09-21 AI review — source 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:22.31.1-22.31.11